The big apple of sorters

By RICHARD WOOD

Horticultural technology firm Compac Sorting Equipment is building what it claims is the world's largest fruit-sorting machine for a customer in Washington State.

Director David Buys said the deal was confirmed late in December for shipping next month. It was Compac's largest order to date.

The 87m-long high-speed optical sorting system for packer/shipper Broetje Farming uses intelligent vision software and electronic weight sizing along with mechanical conveyor belt technology.

It will sort apples at 6000 a minute into 58 categories of size and colour.

Buys said the firm aimed to eclipse rivals through the sophistication of its software, but software and hardware were tightly integrated.

The company has also developed systems to sort blemished fruit as well as by ripeness.

Compac does half its business in the US and has agents in Washington State, Oregon and Florida. Last year it opened a subsidiary in California and hired three staff, complemented by visiting New Zealand technicians.

Buys said manufacturing would remain in New Zealand but American customers were hot on after-sales service and expected a US presence.

Compac was established in 1984 and Buys said the firm had grown 25 per cent a year for the last four years. Turnover was $18 million for the year to last June.